Symptomatic
by meowarts
Summary: (AU) Raven Roth has always been comfortably aware that she was different. What was once set in darkness was now illuminated by a bright new force she copes with as she adjusts to college life, love interests and feeling more comfortable in her own skin.
1. Chapter 1

(AU) Raven Roth has always been comfortably aware that she was different. What was once set in darkness was now illuminated by a bright new force she copes with as she adjusts to college life, love interests and feeling more comfortable in her own skin. An attempted sort of 'coming of age' story of a girl knitted between passion and what could possibly become of her life. (Red-x/Raven/Robin)

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Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead as I continued to stare ahead at the empty road, music blaring into my ears and the promise of breakfast as my motivation as I turned around the corner for my last lap. I was never the athletic type, but I found that jogging had its own ways of helping me clear my mind of stressful things, not to mention it was a nice way to stay slim.

Now that I think about it, I was always one who preferred to keep my peace of mind, meditating as one of my favorite ways to pass the time. I panted heavily as I arrived at my house, wiping my sweat off with my towel I open the door and step in the kitchen to get a drink.

"Good morning, Raven."

I nodded as my way of acknowledging the greeting as I gulp down my glass of water. Arella placed a plate of eggs with some toast on the dining table as she washed a pan.

"How was your morning run, dear?"

"It was fine."

Arella smiled despite herself. Her daughter was someone of few words and she was aware she valued her solitude and privacy. She knew Raven could handle herself quite well and knew she had potential. Raven abruptly got up as she opened a cupboard to retrieve some Oolong Tea. The older woman took the plate and continued to wash dishes as her daughter poured herself a cup and another for her.

"Thanks, dear"

Arella grinned pleased as Raven nodded. They stayed silent for a while, enjoying the tea and early morning. Even though as growing up Raven questioned and for a while was bitter of her parents, as time passed she learned to accept and respect her mother's decisions. Her father, whom she never got the chance to know had left when she was only a few years old, while her mother struggled with bringing up her only daughter and working to support them. As any child, she had interrogated her mother on why her father was never home, why unlike her classmates she had only one parent and had grown up with no father figure in her life. Arella had no regrets, she had provided Raven with everything a mother could offer her child, plus more.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Raven took her cup to the sink and made her way up the stairs. She entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. Hot water flowed down from the shower down the drain as Raven undressed and stepped in slowly. Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of the water flowing down her nude body. After a few minutes, she grabbed her towel and dried herself when she heard the doorbell ring. Seconds later, her mother called out.

"Raven! Robin's here!"

Raven peeked down the stairs and saw a male figure sit down the sofa as he exchanged pleasantries with her mother.

"Give me a few minutes."

Both looked up at the source of the voice but only saw a door closing.

"Well I'm off to work now. I'm late already as it is. I'll see you kids later."

"Alright, Mrs. R. Take care."

Robin watched as his best friend's mother walked out of the door and step into her car and drove off.

Raven sighed as she looked pulled on a shirt. She heard a familiar hum of her mom's car and saw her drive off from her bedroom window. She glanced back into the mirror and took in her appearance. She wore a loose tank top and jean shorts. She had let her shiny, black hair grow and it now flowed down past her shoulders. She had cut her bangs into a V shape weeks ago and it framed her pale face well and accentuated her strong features. She quickly stepped into a comfortable pair of shoes and grabbed her things and walked out and down the stairs.

"Hey."

The pale girl greeted her best friend in her usual calm, monotone voice with a grin.

"Hi Rae."

Robin smiled nonchalantly and stood up as Raven walked up to him. She had grown much the past year and was only shorter than him by a few inches.

"Come on, let's go before the two lovebirds start complaining."

"Whatever."

Robin chuckled at Raven's blatant response and grabbed her bag off the floor as they both walked out of the house and locked the door. They walked to a shiny black mini-van. Raved raised a perfectly shaped brow at Robin and he shrugged.

"Bruce insisted I use it since I mentioned to him about our trip."

"Oh ok. Not that I'm complaining, with all four of us in one vehicle I need all the space I can get."

Robin chuckled once more and placed Raven's bag at the back together with his. He got in the car and started the engine and saw that Raven was looking for a decent radio channel.

"This is certainly better than the radio in your car. I don't see why you insist on using that old thing when you could easily tell Bruce you want a brand new car."

"I know, I know. But I love that piece of crap. It took a whole summer to get the money to buy it and then another one to keep it running."

Raven turned to look at the lanky boy and smiled her Mona Lisa smile. Even though Robin had grown up pampered he wasn't spoiled, and he valued hard work and earning his own money. He always worked at the local sports center in town every year as an assistant instructor for his summer job. Although this year, he chose to spend it with his two best friends.

Richard Grayson had grown in his teen years and was a tall, lanky guy. He had some noticeable muscles, but not overly developed. He had short black, spiky hair and nice clear blue eyes. Raven wouldn't deny that she didn't find her best friend attractive.

Raven smiled as a familiar song played on the radio and settled on the station. They drove a few more blocks in silence and stopped at a red light when Robin started singing off-key to the song. Raven raised a brow and eventually let out a small laugh and punched Robin lightly on the shoulder. Robin laughed louder and stepped on the gas as the green light went on.

"Ok I'll stop. We're almost there."

The black-haired girl squinted her eyes in the bright sunlight and quickly put on her sunglasses that she placed in her pocket before they left. She immediately saw a tall, muscular man with a slim, attractive girl holding his hand in her tinted view. Robin quickly parked in an empty slot in the parking lot and unbuckled his belt. Raven did the same and grabbed her small bag. They walked towards the two and the muscular man waved in his usually friendly manner while the woman smiled.

"Hey Rob!"

His knuckled clashed with the said boy's and then turned to Raven and gave her a warm smile.

"Rae! Glad you decided to come with."

They shared a light hug before Robin greeted Karen and Raven nodded at her direction.

"Come on guys! I wanna get there before lunch so we gotta hurry and get all the stuff we need."

Raven rolled her eyes at Victor's enthusiasm but got her own shopping basket and grabbed a few necessities. Seeing as she already had most of what she needed in her bag inside Robin's car she wandered off until she was at the liquor isle and snickered when she found her other three companions debating on what to buy. Karen eventually settled the guy's argument when she made them pick heads or tails.

"Nice way to settle things, Bee."

Karen or Bee laughed. She was clad in her usual ensemble of yellow and black, hence the nickname. Both guys turned around and noticed her for the first time.

"Hey, I have brothers. I'm used to settling things quick."

Victor grabbed a considerable amount of beer then the friends lined up at the cashier when Robin insisted he pay for everything they bought.

"Boo-ya! Alriiight! Thanks man."

"Hoorah."

Raven said dryly in her usual sarcastic manner.

"Wow Rae, I really heard the enthusiasm from that."

"What can I say Cyborg, I hang around you too much."

The pale girl remarked while the rest laughed at the two's usual friendly exchange. Victor, or Cyborg ruffled Raven's hair and she huffed and walked towards Robin, annoyed. The bigger built guy got his nickname for his love of technology and his need to work out, which most of the time, clashed.

A few minutes later, they were all in Robin's mini-van with Raven in front and Bee at the back with Cyborg and started their 5 hour drive. They had kept conversation for a few miles but Bee who was obviously still sleepy had fallen asleep on Cyborg's shoulder and he too eventually succumbed to slumber which left the boy blunder and Raven the only one's awake. They drove silently for a few miles when Raven set down the book she'd been reading. Robin noticed this and attempted to start a conversation without getting a response. He looked over to her and saw that she had her earphones on and couldn't hear a word he was saying. He tapped her shoulder lightly and her violet eyes settled on his.

"What?"

Raven took off one earphone and looked at Robin questioningly.

"I was wondering if you could grab a soda for me. My hands are full."

Raven nodded and bent down looking for a soda in the paper bag at her feet.

"Uhm.. Orange or grape?"

"The latter. Please."

Raven handed the slightly warm soda to him.

"Soo.. What book are you reading?"

Robin knew that Raven loved to read. Never being much of a bookworm unless it had to do with school, he took great interest in the books Raven read and she usually told him the story and her insights and they often debated on topics.

"It's called Haunted. It's by Chuck Palahniuk."

Robin nodded, familiar with the author as one of Raven's favorites.

"What's it about?"

He asked nonchalantly as he sipped his soda and kept one hand on the wheel squinting at the sun despite his sunglasses.

"I'm actually just beginning to read it, but basically it's sort of a collection of stories from each character. They all end up staying in one house the rest of the book, very _fantasmagoriana _like, but more dark and macabre of course."

They continued their conversation for a while until Raven claimed she wanted to get on with her book. Robin understood and said he was tired from driving and woke up Cyborg to switch turns as he transferred to the back.

Raven stared at a page of the book while the words stared back at her. She had been reading but got distracted. She frowned as she closed the book and changed a song on her music player. She frowned. She was worried about her future, more importantly college. Cyborg got a scholarship that let him excel in sports as well as in academics and she was happy for him. Bee got into a similar school with her high grades, which was only a few hours drive away from Cyborg's, while Robin got into the same school as Cyborg, which was his adoptive father's choice school. Raven was happy for her friends, but it left Raven alone in a separate college that allowed her to excel in her art and writing, but was in the same city as Robin and Cyborg's school so they could still hang out.

She couldn't deny that she was slightly worried on how things would fare out in college. She wasn't the most agreeable person and she certainly wasn't about to change herself just to fit in the new school. She sighed as her eyelids started to droop. She was starting to get drowsy.

She glanced back at Robin with a slight grin as she settled into her seat and set her soda on the armrest.

"You ok, Rae?"

Raven glanced at Cyborg, noting the slight concern in his voice before nodding .

"Yeah, Cy. I'm fine. Totally fine."

Cyborg smiled at his friend's characteristic monotone voice and set his eyes on the road as he drove off.

"Beach, here we come!"

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Sorry if the names confused you, I wanted to use their superhero names than their atler names since I'm more comfortable with them. Let me know what you think of chapter one.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to those who reviewed and followed/ fave'd my story! Here's chapter two.

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Raven awakened when she felt someone shaking her slightly. She opened one lazy eye to see a grinning Robin and immediately narrowed her eyes from the sun that was behind the boy. She promptly pushed back her sunglasses that had slipped down her nose in her sleep as she got out of the car to stretch.

"Sorry to wake you up like that, but we're finally here!"

Raven nodded, noticing the slight elevation of Robin's voice that indicated his excitement and happiness of finally arriving at the beach. She walked to grab her bag when Robin placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"That's ok Rae, I kinda already got your bags in our room."

"_Our_ room?"

Raven asked slightly confused but without much curiosity to draw out care. She had an idea that their other companions wanted to have time to themselves, this being their last chance to spend time with each other before they all had to face college. Besides, Robin was her best friend, and come to think of it- her only friend. Cyborg always felt more like the older brother that she always wanted to have. She was comfortable in sharing her personal space with him and relaxed around him knowing he had much respect for her.

"Yeah, you know Cy and Bee wanna have some alone time and there's no use really arguing to those two. Besides, I don't ever see you having girl talk with Bee so I thought you'd be ok with it."

"You know me so well."

Robin smiled despite it being sarcastic and took Raven's hand as they walked towards the entrance. They were staying at one of Bruce's many properties. This though was a beach house which was isolated and fully furnished and was by the shore. It was two stories high and had a homely yet luxurious aura to it. As they neared, they saw Cyborg already blowing into an inflatable volleyball while Bee was applying even amounts of sunscreen on various parts of her bikini-clad body.

"Need some help?"

Robin offered a breathless Cyborg and he quickly pointed to two inflatable beds. Robin sweat dropped and said he would go get the air pump instead and walked into the house looking for it. Raven gave a disbelieving look towards Bee while she shrugged at her boyfriend and their friends' actions. Raven decided to walk around the property a bit and take in the new place. She walked slowly, stepping on the cobbled path and observed the tropical plants growing from the sand and some things of interest like a small boat and a swing on the far, east side of the area.

She sat down at one the swings and placed a menthol cigarette between her lips and expertly lit it with her lighter. She swayed a bit as she closed her eyes and inhaled smoke, calming herself. She opened her eyes when she heard water splashing and saw Cyborg was chasing Bee around in the water, laughing like crazy. Her eyes softened at the scene and took a long drag. There were times she longed to be with a person, just like that. To bond so much with a person and be accepted fully and be loved back without worry you will be the one to ache after it painfully ends.

Like most people, she was once naïve and thoroughly believed in the sweet nothings an attractive boy told her. Raven and Rorek, despite their obvious attraction to each other, knew they would never work out in the end. They had been too alike, in so many little and big ways. They had loved the same music, books, and had so much to talk about and Raven was drawn to his charming way with words and his unusual appearance that matched hers. But when you get so much dosage of the same thing, no matter how inclined you are with it, you are bound to get sick of it eventually. And that was eventually what drove Raven to end her painful yet beautiful affair with him.

The pale girl admitted it to herself she sometimes missed his presence and although they kept in touch, she knew she had no regrets and she learned a lot from the relationship and from Rorek. After all, a year of dating and you're bound to miss that person. She felt something buzz in her pocket and took out her phone. Arella had left a text message.

_When will you be back home dear?_

Raven texted her back, and finished her cigarette and tossed it to the ground and stepped on it. The swing beside hers made a sound and she turned around to bright blue eyes that shone in the sunlight.

"Hi Rae, I've been looking for you. Wanna go for a swim?"

Raven appeared to be debating this in her head when Robin started swinging back and forth and spoke up again.

"Or we could always stay here and smoke those lung cancer sticks if that's what you want."

Raven ignored his comment and took a fresh one out and lit it. She took a long drag with obvious pleasure and glanced sideways at Robin's direction and caught the disapproval in his features.

"Raven, you know how I feel about your smoking habit way back when you were 15, and I still don't approve of it any more than I did back then."

"_Richard._ I'm _glad_ you care but really, I decide what I want to do with my body."

Robin rolled his eyes at Raven's response and turned to look at the other two who were now playing with the inflatable volleyball.

"And I suppose you're content with inhaling that thing and damaging your body with your unhealthy habits until your lungs rot off and then you'll die a happy girl."

"Exactly."

Raven answered back, pleased that she got the upper hand of the argument. She tossed the cigarette at her feet and stood up and stomped on it.

"I think I'm going for a swim. The hot weather's getting to me."

She walked towards the house and left an annoyed Robin behind as she looked around and found what she supposed was their room. She opened her bag and got what she needed and dressed swiftly. She glanced at the huge mirror mounted on the bedroom wall and grinned. She was not one to care much about her looks to care what people thought, but there was no harm in trying to look good. She walked down the stairs but not before applying sunscreen and walked out the door.

Robin looked at her and grinned, forgetting about their short argument. Raven wore a black bikini, not a surprise with her taste. Her hair was slightly ruffled due to the wind and changing so abruptly and she looked rather cute. Her pale skin glowed in the sunlight and her eyes shined brightly, his eyes setting on her long slender legs that he knew other guys often stared at when they went out and Raven wore one of her short outfits. He had admitted it to himself and sometimes to other people long ago that he found Raven attractive. Her unusual looks drew him to her, being a nice change from the usual bubbly and light haired people. She raised one of her brows at him, knowing he was staring even though he was wearing sunglasses. The ball hit Robin right in the head and he fell backwards on the sand with a thud.

"Hey man! You okay?"

Cyborg ran towards him and pulled him back up.

"Uhh yeah, I'm ok."

His sunglasses had fallen down. Cyborg picked it up and noticed that Robin was staring at Raven's back, who was walking out farther into the sea. He smiled knowingly and handed him his eyewear.

"Uhm, thanks."

Robin said rather awkwardly and didn't notice Bee walk towards them.

"That was a good spike, Cy!"

She chuckled and high-fived her bigger built boyfriend. She had been playing against Cyborg when Robin approached them and smugly challenged then. Bee having a competitive streak couldn't decline and ended up teaming up with Cyborg against Robin who proudly claimed he could fare out against the two of them. She almost believed him when Robin started getting distracted and fell down.

"I'm thirsty! Let's bring out the beers and start grillin' some food, it's gonna get dark soon."

"We should probably start doing that. You coming, man?"

"Yeah sure, just let me go tell Raven first. She said she was hot so maybe she wants a drink too."

Bee and Cyborg both smirked at Robin's way of words and Robin blushed lightly and ignored them as he ran towards their dark-haired friend. They saw him call her name out and slipped on something and fell forwards while Raven rolled her eyes and walked towards him, wading against the current of the sea. They both laughed at their friend's sudden awkwardness and Bee raised a brow and smiled at Cyborg knowingly.

"Hey, he's called boy blunder for that exact reason."

Bee laughed once more and started walking towards the cooler. She knew that Cyborg knew what she meant even though he didn't acknowledge it out loud and dismissed it as that. She had first noticed how Robin was around Raven about a year and a half ago and when she mentioned it to Cyborg he laughed and told her it was how those two always were. She drank half the bottle of beer then smiled, refreshed. But it was not only her though, that noticed how things quickly changed between the two best friends when a certain white-haired boy came along and how Raven started paying more attention to him and then Robin started dating a tanned redhead. Her name was Kori and was a bubbly girl who a lot of boys at their school was attracted to. She shrugged off those thoughts and walked towards her boyfriend who was firing up the grill. The two couples were broken up now though, and she always wondered if there was ever a chance the other two would get together, romantically.

"Are you ok?"

Robin answered with a grunt and grabbed Raven's pale outstretched hand and stood up all wobbly. He didn't think the current was strong and wasn't careful. He blushed a little and scratched his head.

"I'm fine. Just caught by surprise with the current."

"Ok then.. Why were you running towards me anyways? I wasn't _that_ far off the shore."

"Well, uhm.. Cy and Bee are firing up the grill and getting a head start with the beer. And I thought maybe you wanted a drink since you know.. Well you said it was hot out here."

Robin scratched his head awkwardly while raven continued looking at his face and inwardly laughed at Robin's play of words and decided to ignore it.

"Sounds good but I wanna go for a short swim first."

"D'you mind if I join you? I haven't been sparring for a while and I need the exercise."

"Sure. Whatever."

And with that, Raven gracefully dove into the cold water and swam farther out the sea. Robin watched her a few seconds then drew out a deep breath and did the same. They were swimming for a while now when Raven stopped and was trying to dry her hair with her hands. Robin swam towards her, panting when he drew up.

"I think I'm gonna head back. Maybe they need some help and being thirsty and swimming in all this water is really making me crave for that ice cold beer."

"Alright, let's head back."

Robin's eyes fixed upon Raven's soaked form. Her hair was wet and damp and clung to her neck. She brushed her bangs away from her face which revealed the small red gem on her forehead. Raven had explained long ago it was part of the tradition in her old country and he thought it oddly suited her.

Cyborg and Bee managed to cook a decent meal enough for four and after they ate they circled around a bonfire they made by the shore. All four of them had quite a number of beers and Raven could tell they were all starting to feel the effects. She was a bit tipsy herself but didn't let it show and to others she seemed completely unaffected. Bee's laugh ringed in the cold night air. She had laughed at something Cyborg had said while Robin punched Cyborg lightly and playfully on his arm.

"Stop making jokes at my expense!"

Robin yelled aggressively but with a tint of amusement and familiarity.

"Hey not my fault you embarrass yourself often, boy blunder!"

At the mention of his unwanted nickname, Robin flushed with annoyance and Raven snickered.

"Stop calling me that, _Victor_."

Robin stressed Cyborg's real name with narrowed eyes while Cyborg looked at his friend questioningly. He was about to say something back when Raven cut him off.

"Ooh. Real scary, _Dick_."

Raven's calm, monotone voice came out of nowhere, annoyed by the two's usual banter. Cyborg and Bee couldn't help but laugh while Robin just sat there and stiffened. He was irked, and Raven knew it. They all knew of their friend's short temper. The conversation between the two steered to a football game they'd been watching and Bee shared a look with Raven which seemed to silently thank her for her intrusion. They both knew what would've happened if they'd continue down that road. Both boys would've argued and argued, eventually turning more serious then settling things with a stupid dare or bet, and since they'd been drinking things probably wouldn't end very nicely even though those were entertaining to watch.

They continued on their conversation and eventually veered onto the topic of college. All except Raven were at it with excited voices on what they would do, what clubs they'd join, and other things that didn't spark an interest with her. She sighed. Her discomfort with topic made her disconnected with the group and she stood up to get another beer. When she came back though Bee suggested they all go for a night swim. Cyborg agreed obviously, while Robin stated he wasn't up to it and he felt a little dizzy. The couple both got up and turned to the black haired girl.

"What about you, Rae? You comin'?"

"Nah. I'd rather sit by the fire."

Cyborg smiled. He was secretly hoping he could go swim with his girlfriend exclusively and the other two got the hint.

"Race ya to the water!"

Bee squealed running and got a head start.

"No fair!" Cyborg yelled, running after her. Both obviously intoxicated.

Raven sat down and drank her bottle of beer. It was ice cold and she shivered involuntarily. She felt something warm around her shoulder and noticed Robin had scooted closer to her and his arm was draped around her. Raven didn't mind and her head sunk comfortably on Robin's shoulder. The two were close and often time words didn't need to be exchanged between the two. To them, this seemed completely natural, and had happened multiple times before.

They knew each other well. Raven knew him like how she knew all the lines to her favorite book. She found the familiarity and predictability with Robin soothing, while Robin acted naturally on his instincts without malice. He knew his best friend wasn't one who voiced out her thoughts much like others, and could tell what Raven was thinking or feeling through the most subtle of her actions. He knew so much of her and had grown so accustomed to having her close to him, seeing the familiar pale, stoic face of his best friend that he wondered how he was ever going to survive college without her. Yeah he had Cyborg and he'd make new friends and acquaintances – but this was different. He knew it. They both knew it.

"What are you thinking?"

Her smooth throaty voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked down as his eyes refocused on deep violet eyes that gleamed with meaning. She was questioning him. And he was sure she had a fair idea of what was bothering him. Robin knew that Raven knew this and wondered why she bothered to ask when she already knew. He continued to stare at her, his eyes focusing then focusing again as Raven's questioning eyes bore into his own. He felt nauseated and struggled to keep level-headed. He looked down and took a deep breath.

"You know what I'm thinking."

He continued to stare below, his arm still around her small form. She looked down at her hands, already knew the answer before the words could formulate from his mouth. The two shared stretched minutes of silence, both lost inside their heads, their thoughts immobilizing them.

"I'm gonna miss you, Rae."

Robin finally broke the dreadful silence and looked down at Raven's face. She knew this was his way of coming to terms with things and saying good bye. She looked up and met his eyes and frowned. They were a deep, dark blue and gleamed hazily. She saw different emotions in them. Confusion, anxiety and something she couldn't decipher. She looked away and dismissed it as the alcohol. The other two arrived before she could say anything and said they were going to bed, but their actions making it blatantly obvious they were not going to do anything closely resembling slumber. The fire was dying out so they decided to leave it. Raven stood up first and lit a cigarette. Robin managed to stand up and remain balanced. He was staring at the fire, the flames reflecting in his eyes, illuminating his fair skin. Raven was halfway through her cigarette when he sighed and looked at her direction.

"I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted."

He walked past her and halfway to the house he called out.

"You coming, Rae?"

Raven closed her eyes and exhaled. Her back to him, she answered with her eyes closed.

"I'll be right there, Robin."

With that, she heard Robin's feet shuffle in the sand towards the house. When she was sure he had gone inside and heard the door close, she opened her eyes and took a drag. She ran her hand though her silky hair, sombering up. She was tired. Tired of over thinking and tired of feeling the anxiety boiling at the pit of her stomach. She finished the last of her cigarette and threw it carelessly into what was left of the fire. What little light the moonlight gave illuminated the fine white sand as she looked up into the sky, the stars reflecting on her eyes, her eyes reflecting on the stars.

Her eyes, looking, searching for something she knew she would not find. She shivered once more and made her way to the house and up the stairs into the room she shared with Robin. There was once huge bed enough to hold 6 people she settled down on her side of the bed, careful not to make too much noise, but had a feeling Robin was not fully asleep. She looked at his face visibly thanks to the moonlight. Her eyes squinted, noticing the even breaths he took and his lidded eyes. She lay back and got under her separate blanket. Her head hit the pillow and just when her eyes were about to close, she heard a raspy voice call out from the other side of the bed.

"You know I'll always be here, Raven."

And the edges of her lips curved up into a smile as she drifted off to sleep.

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Thanks for reading~


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to Nkcandygirl, VinBlack , Misticcat & 'Guest' for reviewing I forgot to do this on the other chapters but anyways..

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans its characters and etc., just this harmless story.

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The car hobbled on a pothole and dashed off ahead on the empty road. They had spent a good three days at Bruce's beach house and they were all secretly dreading to head back to the city. A _ The Cure _lullaby blasted through the radio which oddly fit the mood. They had resumed their positions from the drive to the beach house and Robin was driving. He took a quick glance on the rearview mirror and saw Bee and Cyborg asleep, holding each other's hands. He smiled then glanced at Raven. She was nodding off to sleep and looked very cozy in her jean shorts and oversized shirt that he lent her. They had decided to stay one more night and she didn't pack an extra shirt.

He noticed how cute she looked with her hair mussed and how small she appeared curled up into a ball with his huge shirt. They hit another pothole and noticed the subtle change in Raven's expression from peaceful to slightly bothered. The tips of her eyebrows tipped up the slightest bit and her lips turned down into a frown. It was early afternoon and it was staring to get uncomfortably hot again. He gave up one of his aircons for Raven and saw her snuggle up to the car seat. He smiled.

A few miles later, he noticed a gas station with a diner and he decided to pull up for gas and some lunch. The motor died and he turned around to wake up the couple. Bee stirred then shook Cyborg gently and he woke up as well. He was about to wake up Raven when he saw she was already getting out the car.

"How much?"

A middle-aged man in a white wife beater and red cap asked, bored.

"Full tank, please. Do you take cards?"

The man nodded and loaded the gas onto Robin's mini-van then snatched his card and went inside the convenience store behind the diner. He inhaled some smoke and snorted in disgust then turned around.

"Sorry to invade your personal air, I wasn't aware I was smoking near your border."

Raven said dryly, a hint of amusement in her voice. He glared a little and turned to go inside the diner. The diner barely had any people but Cyborg called out anyway.

"Yo Robin! Right here man."

He was feeling slightly annoyed at Raven for smoking again and the annoyed meter in his head went up a notch. He had a headache from not eating breakfast and from drinking too much and any noise only made it worse. He walked over to the table and yawned. He barely had any sleep from last night. The past few days were spent in a hazy pattern of eating, swimming, drinking and the passing out. They were all served some coffee and he grinned and blushed vaguely as he sipped, remembering what had happened last night.

* * *

"S-shut up, _Boy Blunder_."

Raven icily stated. She was walking on the sand and fell a couple of times already and Robin insisted he carry her to the room or at least just hold his hand, but she refused. It had rained a few hours ago and there was a high tide, leaving the sand incredibly soft and fragile. It was already around 2am and they were all drunk except for Robin who chose not to drink as much as the other three. Raven who was tired claimed she wanted to go lie down in bed and sleep off the dizziness while Cyborg and Bee claimed they wanted to sit by the campfire and talk some more.

"Ow! Fuck."

Robin quickly ran towards Raven although he struggled because of the sand. He quickly helped her up and noticed she had cut her knee due to an out of place rock buried in the sand.

"Raven! Are you ok?"

Raven got on her feet and slapped Robin's hand away.

"I'm _fine_, Robin. It's only a small cut. You act like I've died and gone to hell. Stupid fucking rock!"

Raven with wobbly feet, snatched the rock and threw it as hard as she could. The quick movement made her more light-headed and she almost fell back but Robin quickly put his arms on her shoulder to steady her. Blood stains were visible on the sand where she had landed earlier.

"Well sorry for overacting, Rae! But you're obviously tipsy, just let me carry you and you can be in bed quicker!"

Raven grunted but let Robin carry her on his back all the way back to the house and up the stairs to their room. He settled her on the bed, but she sat up instead of lying down. Not only was her head throbbing, now her knee was too. Raven got her cigarette pack from her pocket and casually lit one. Robin picked the perfect time to go inside with the first aid kit.

"_Raven_."

Robin said in a deadly tone with glaring eyes.

"What?"

Raven exhaled and looked up at the boy blunder. Her shoulder strap was falling off revealing her bikini strap then one bikini clad breast and Robin blushed a little bit. She didn't seem to care though and went on smoking. Robin glared softly at the ground then got on one knee in front of the pale girl and started dabbing some alcohol on her wound. Raven cringed but didn't protest and let Robin apply betadine and a small patch of clean bandage. She glared down at Robin's head. She had a high tolerance for pain and it annoyed her a lot at times whenever Robin was too overprotective over her but she knew if he didn't care, who else would?

At this thought, she sighed and put off her cigarette on a nearby windowsill then threw it out. Robin was done and looked up at her. Blue and violet eyes connected, the blues looked away first. Robin got up and walked to the connected bathroom and put away the first aid kit. He stared at his reflection then washed his face and brushed his teeth. When he walked back in the room Raven was under the sheets, her back to him. He yawned then took off his shirt and lay down facing the ceiling. He felt the body on the other side of the bed shift and soon found a mess of black hair on the white sheets and on his bare chest. She snuggled up to him. Robin was warm, and she was awfully cold. As hot as the mornings and afternoons were at the beach house, it was just as cold at night. Robin blushed again but wrapped an arm around her and felt her relax to him. He felt her cold skin and her warm breath. He felt her loose grip on the blanket, her damp silky hair scattered on his chest and neck and her even breathing and he too fell asleep after a few minutes.

When he woke up, she was already gone. He frowned when he saw her bags already properly packed. He looked out and saw a figure in black jogging near the shore. He yawned and fell back asleep, still tired from last night. By the time he woke up again, it was time to go.

* * *

Robin put down his mug just as the bell atop the door rang and Raven walked in. She had her sunglasses on and her bandage had a red spot. She sat down beside Robin and the waitress walked towards them and gave them each a menu.

"What are you teens having?"

The waitress had thick eyebrows and bright red lipstick that almost looked comical with her bright red curly hair. She wore an apron around her body that had a nameplate that said, "Hello, my name is Ruth"

"I'll have the bacon and egg combo with some toast coated with butter and orange juice.. Oh and I'll have one order of some pancakes, with extra syrup and a muffin."

Cyborg handed the menu back to her and finished his coffee. The other three looked at him and he shrugged.

"Hey, a man's gotta eat."

The waitress scoffed and Raven smirked.

"I'll have the bacon and egg combo too, with some orange juice. Thanks"

"And I'll have pancakes with syrup and some milk, a banana and a muffin."

The waitress took the other two menus and Raven handed hers to her.

"I'll have some more coffee, and two blueberry muffins."

"O.K. dears

Ruth wrote down their orders on a small post-it pad and smiled, bored.

You orders will be ready in 10 minutes."

"Thanks."

Robin answered back. The gang made chitchat in the ten minutes it took for their food to come and Robin was quiet and looked deep in thought. Cyborg noticed this but decided not to bug his friend on it and Raven had her nose buried in a book which left the conversation between him and Bee with Raven making occasional comments. When the food finally arrived, Cyborg practically gobbled at it and Raven casually sipped her coffee and took small bites of her muffins. If she couldn't get some tea then coffee would be the second best alternative.

Robin was done with his pancakes and was now peeling his banana. Raven's hand had brushed his hand when she was reaching out to grab some tissues and his thoughts drifted back on her. He thought about last night again as he took a bite of the banana. Raven rarely showed her emotions and voiced out her thoughts, so he knew there was bound to be another way she could express them without seeming un-raven-like. When she wasn't painting on a canvas or writing about it, she did it with the help of alcohol and he didn't blame her. He was used to this, and knew Raven's behavior ranged from pissed off at every little thing to uncharacteristically happy and laughing at every little thing to the occasional teary, sad look in her eyes whenever she got drunk. Most of the times though Raven seemed to be in control when she was drunk but there were some times she let her guard down, especially with him and let herself express what she felt.

Last night, her mood shifted from angry to calm and this worried him a bit. He admits he was a big worrywart when it came to her but he knew this only meant she was bothered by something. That she was anxious or nervous and was trying not be. He frowned at this. He respected her privacy and knew Raven would tell him if she wanted to.

After they each paid for their respective meals and Robin's credit card was handed back to him they all went back to the van. The ride back was smooth and quiet with only the radio making a sound. Robin dropped off the couple first then pulled up at Raven's driveway and got her bag from the back. Raven stretched and they both started towards the front door. It was around 6pm and they were tired.

"I'm home, mom."

Raven said without much enthusiasm. She had slept all the way back to the city and didn't really feel like setting down at home all night. Robin dropped her bags by the stairs and yawned. There was a note on the fridge that said "Honey, I'm going out for a drink with my girl friends.. I left you some pasta in the refrigerator in case you haven't eaten. Don't wait up" in Arella's neat, cursive handwriting.

"Well, I'm beat."

Raven raised a brow and looked up at Robin who was near her neck looking down at the note too.

"I'm gonna head home."

"Alright. Thanks for the trip and driving me home."

Raven grinned which made him smile and they hugged in a friendly manner for a few seconds.

"See ya, Robin."

"Bye, Rae!"

Robin shouted as he sped away from the front of her house. She stared at the empty road for a while before going in. The night was cool and she was in one of her artsy moods. Raven quickly made some tea and went upstairs to the patio outside her bedroom and began to paint on an empty new canvas. After an hour or so, she was satisfied. She smiled and left it out to dry. She heard her tummy grumble and realized it was already 9pm and she hadn't eaten yet. Deciding she wasn't up to heated pasta and TV for company, she quickly took a shower and dressed in a black sweater and a short skirt. She pulled on her stockings and laced up her boots and finished up her outfit with a silver locket necklace Robin had given her back when they were only 10. Robin knew her taste even then and she couldn't help but smile at this. She walked downstairs and locked the door walked down the street. She walked a few blocks and went inside a dimly lit restaurant-bar she usually hung out at. They often had good bands play there and had poetry nights that she often times listened to but never bothered to participate in. The walls were red bricks and the tables and chairs were made of dark mahogany with red velvet cushions. The place was covered with paintings depicting obscure art.

She ordered some food and wine and looked up when she noticed the hostess setting up the stage. Looks there was going to be a show tonight. She thought and took out her book and was reading for a good 5 minutes when she felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up and scanned the people dining or drinking and her eyes met with a stranger's. The place was dimly lit so she couldn't quite make out his features. She raised a brow at him and saw noticed his eyes light up with a smile. She frowned at this and he laughed, his movement making him change his angle and casting some light on him. He had black wavy hair and dark blue eyes that looked sinister in the dark but matched his laugh, which exposed perfectly lined, white teeth and dimples. Raven rolled her eyes and chose to ignore him when the waiter arrived and was serving Raven her order and gave her an ashtray. As if on cue, the hostess spoke on the microphone.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight we are having our weekly poetry night. As usual this is open mic.. So if any of you feel inspired to share your poetry or thoughts, feel free."

The hostess, whose name was Terra had long blonde hair and big blue eyes. She had become casual friends with her along with her boyfriend Garfield who had dyed green hair since she often went there and usually alone. She had found Terra annoying at first and didn't like her but eventually found no reason to harbor those feelings and returned her friendliness.

Terra had recognized Raven sitting alone at a table and waved then walked towards her.

"Hey Raven!"

Terra smiled and Raven grinned.

"Hi Terra. How's the place doing?"

She took this as an unspoken invite and she sat down.

"Well, it's doing great! Thanks for asking. My mom tells me I can manage the place once I turn 21. So I'm thinking of taking up business for college."

"That's great."

Raven commented in monotone. The two were not close and so their conversations revolved mostly on casual things and friendly chit chat. They responded with civil words and the normal pleasantries acquaintances usually spoke with. It was getting slightly awkward and Raven sipped her wine, when someone got up on the stage and both girls with the rest of the people looked over at the person.

"Hi, this one's about a little black bird I've taken noticed upon when she walked in here. This one's for her."

A dark, musky voice spoke on the stage, the lights forming a spotlight on him. He was tall and lanky and wore dark jeans and a white shirt with a brown leather jacket. His shoes were brown Doc Martens and he wore a sinister, yet charming smile. Raven noticed him as the stranger who was staring at her and raised her brows in sheer curiosity. The guy mistook her attention for interest stared directly at her as he spoke.

"Dark black hair, swaying

Silver charms back and forth

You lift a slender arm and disarm me as you spoke.

Silent words that everyone notices

Yet no one hears.

Tell me, darling all your biggest fears."

Raven scoffed at the bad rhyme and sipped more of the wine.

"Your face as subtle as the evening sky

And your touch as cold as the night air

I met those violet orbs and close my eyes.

Good night, silent sweet lullaby

I bid you good bye."

The crowd politely clapped for him and he smiled charmingly at Raven. She ignored him and he gripped the microphone once again, the silver rings on his hand catching the light and reflecting them back.

"Thanks."

He simply said and smiled half-heartedly and walked down the stage, and disappeared down the hall to the back door which opened to the parking lot. Raven hadn't taken her eyes off him since the sappy poem and his weird behavior intrigued her. He had stared at her openly, laughed at her annoyance, recited a poem which was implied to be inspired by her, not once breaking eye contact and then casually walked off as if nothing had happened. Terra's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Raven?"

Raven snapped back to reality and looked up at Terra who had stood up. She hadn't even noticed.

"I'm sorry, my mind wandered off. What were you saying?"

"Oh.. Well, I was just saying I'm going to the kitchen to make sure the crew does their job properly. We hired some new staff recently and they're still under probation."

"Okay, good luck on that."

Terra smiled at the dark-haired young lady. Raven was older than her by 2 years and she had deep respect for her and admired her in a lot of ways.

"See ya around Raven."

"Mhmm.."

A couple more people got on the stage following through the first person's performance and a few more shots of wine and dessert later, Raven paid her check and left some tip and stepped out into the cold air. She took out her cigarette pack and drew out the last cigarette she had. The time on her phone said it was 11:17 PM. She smoked and walked back home slowly, taking her time to think and enjoy the scenery Jump City had to offer.

She fumbled with the red gem on her forehead, deep in thought and frowned when her trail of thoughts led to the mysterious stranger at the bar.

"Who is he.."

She blurted out to no one in particular and felt a strange feeling regarding the stranger she didn't even know the name of and felt more connection with him than the people she met in the entire 18 years of her life she had lived in Jump City. They hadn't even shared words directly to each other and yet somehow she felt he would listen to her silent thoughts. And he would understand.

* * *

Thanks for reading chapter 3~

Opinions and/or criticisms on my writing/ story is widely appreciated ^_^ Tell me if my chapters are too long, I'll try and make them shorter.


	4. Chapter 4

Raven opened her door and set down her bags, a bit ruffled from climbing so many stairs. She looked around the room which was now void of any other human.

_At least I get to choose my territory first. _

She thought and peeked in the two bedrooms available and took the one with a better view, then set down her bags there. Her dorm room was already furnished with the basics: a sofa, TV, stove, microwave, mini-fridge and a small dining table with chairs. Both bedrooms had a simple bed, one closet and a desk with an office chair and lamp. The two room doors faced each other in the small hallway and at the end, door that lead to the bathroom which Raven found to be clean. She checked her phone and found two messages: one from her mother and one from her best friend. She became sleepy from the 2-hour drive from her hometown to Gotham since they had to leave early to avoid traffic. Robin had picked her up in his old beat-up car that morning and they were alone since Bee and Cyborg had already traveled on their own a week ago. Bee wanted to go earlier to adjust and familiarize herself with the places and Cyborg wanted to start scouting for a gym. Of course, it was obvious Cyborg just wanted to spend a little more time with his girl before they were a city apart from each other.

The drive was silent and full of tension and Robin fidgeted slightly due to the awkwardness. Raven on the other hand, felt the same but chose not to let it affect her so much. She wasn't aware at that time why she had felt so nervous to be around him, like a bad hunch something didn't feel quite right between them. They had attempted conversation but it always seemed to die out or went to the wrong direction like topics about college or high school memories. To both of them, it felt rather bittersweet since talking about these memories only seemed to remind them that that part in their lives were over and it was time to move on.

Robin had dropped her off at her dormitory first then drove off to his. After setting down her bags, she started unpacking: placing her clothes in the closet, organizing her books on the shelf, setting up her laptop and putting up some of her posters she brought with her from her old bedroom. After a quick shower, Raven dressed in fresh clothes and suddenly remembered she had text messages to reply. She grabbed her cell phone from her bed and the phone's menu lit up. She had the two unread messages from Robin and Arella and a missed call from Robin. Raven's brows went up but opened her mother's text first.

_Raven, dear. I suppose you've arrived at your dorm? How are things? Have you met your roommate yet? Call me!_

Raven had to smile at her mother's impatience. She decided to text her back instead then clicked the dial button on Robin's name. After 5 rings, Robin's breathless voice could be heard.

"Hello Rae?" Raven raised her eyebrow.

"Uhm… Hey Robin. I'm not interrupting anything, am I? You seem pretty out of breath there." Robin understood what she was implying and quickly rushed out his reply.

"N-no! Of course not! I was just helping my roommate carry the refrigerator up our dorm. It was real heavy." Raven smirked and could tell that a blush was creeping on her best friend's cheeks at that very moment.

"O.K. whatever you say. So, what's up? You called 30 minutes ago."

"Oh yeah, Cy dropped in about an hour ago. He's having some early supper with Bee at this pizza place they discovered and was wondering if we'd go with. I said I'd go if you would. You know, don't wanna be a third wheel."

"I see."

"Yeah… So, you comin'?"

"Sure."

"Alright. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

They simultaneously hung up their phones and sure enough, 10 minutes later Raven saw Robin's familiar blue chevy pull up to the dorm building's parking lot. A minute later, she was in the passenger seat listening to her best friend talk about how Bruce had gotten him the suite dorm room and his roommate.

"Don't get me wrong, I mean I appreciate all the extra space and all but I'd rather I didn't get the extra attention, you know? Be treated like all the other college kids who have to live in their respective crappy dorm room." Robin commented, a tad bit bitter about the ordeal since his father didn't mention it to him beforehand and had to pass by all the jealous stares from the other guys who lived in their building.

"That's easy for you to say Robin. You _don't _have to live in a crappy dorm room. Just be thankful you got a suite." Robin sighed.

"I guess your right again, Rae."

Robin smiled at her as he turned a corner to a red light. Raven grinned back and stared out her window. Five blocks later, they arrived at a pizza parlor that had a sign in bright bold letters that said Mama's Pizzeria. The duo walked in and quickly found the booth Cyborg and Bee were already seated at.

"We already ordered for you guys. I hope you don't mind, we got your usual faves anyway."

Raven nodded while Robin thanked Bee.

"Yo, Rae! How's it goin' at your dorm? You met your roommate yet?"

Cyborg asked while ruffling Raven's hair affectionately. Raven scowled.

"Fine."

"Come on, I at least expected a little more enthusiasm than that."

"It was mighty fine." Raven answered with a fake cheerful voice that didn't exactly suit her. The rest laughed and engaged in casual conversation; the usual talk about college, high school memories and just random things. Minutes later, their orders arrived and they munched while talking. Raven and Robin ate with gusto, having missed lunch and exerting effort in unpacking their things. It was only 6PM when Raven waved good bye to her friends in Robin's car and walked up to the 3rd floor to her room. Finding the door unlocked, she realized she would have to face her roommate now.

_Well, better get this over with. If she's a bitch at least I know I won't be the only one. _

She thought to herself then opened the door. The living room was filled with small boxes and a single roller bag that had bat stickers on them. Letting the door close behind her caused a loud slam and a girl poked her head out of the bedroom door opposite hers. Her eyes widened a bit and a sly grin graced her pale face. Stepping into Raven's line of vision, it was revealed she had bright pink hair pulled up in pigtails and strange amethyst eyes. Raven's brows shot up even higher up her forehead as the girl walked up to her and extended her hand for the girl to shake.

"I'm Jinx! Sorry for the mess, I'll clean that up in a few."

"Raven. And that's ok."

They shook hands and Jinx bought a thumb to her mouth, emulating a thoughtful expression as she looked Raven over. Raven scoffed then Jinx smiled up at her.

"Hey, don't get it the wrong way! I love how you dress! I think we'll get along just fine, Rae. Can I call you that? Rae?"

Raven sighed, walking past the smiling teen and to her room.

"Whatever."

"Ok, cool!"

Jinx's cheerful voice trailed off as Raven closed the door. Her roommate was slightly annoying, but at least she didn't seem like a total airhead. Besides, her taste in clothes weren't that bad either although the pink hair seemed too drastic for Raven.

_Still, better than a Kori type…_

She thought and kicked off her boots and pressed the on button on her laptop. An hour later, there was a knock on her door followed by Jinx's tentative voice.

"Hey, Raven? Uhm… Listen, can I come in?"

Raven sighed and seemed to think it over. Jinx knocked again and called her name.

"Okay. Come in." Jinx stepped in and smiled. She was dressed more fashionably this time, in a black leather dress, purple and black leggings and heavy-looking boots.

"You want something?"

"Well, the thing is…" Jinx trailed off and after a minute of silence, Raven realized she would have to prod the girl for her to continue.

"What?"

"Uhm you see, I heard about this sick party going on at this huge mansion just a 30 minute drive away from here and I was wondering if you'd want to come along with me."

"Oh. I'm not really big for parties, Jinx. So no thanks." Raven turned to her laptop and missed the disappointment in Jinx's face.

"Actually, it would be really cool if you'd come with me Rae." Raven turned to face her once again.

"Like I said, not one for parties. Can't you ask your other friends to go with you?" Jinx's cheeks turned to a faint color of pink and Raven realized she had struck a chord.

"The thing is… I don't really know anyone yet. Just you."

Jinx looked down, fidgeting with the purple hem of the large bat-like collars sewed on her dress. Raven appeared to be thinking about the situation and Jinx stood there awkwardly, waiting for her response.

_Well… It's not like I have much to do anyway. And I guess a tiny amount of alcohol won't hurt, and certainly beats a boring night in front of the computer. Besides, this would be a chance to know my roommate better. We are going to be living together for the next four years… Wouldn't hurt to at least be civil, she can help me in return sometime…_

With this in mind, she reluctantly told the bright-colored girl she would go.

"But if the party sucks, I'm leaving. Oh and you owe me one."

Jinx yelled a triumphant "Yesss!" and quickly nodded at Raven's terms. She told her to be ready in fifteen minutes then promptly walked out, muttering something about fixing her make-up. Raven pulled open her closet and grabbed the first thing her hands touched which was an old short black dress. She hastily put it on and stepped in the boots she discarded by her door earlier that evening, grabbed her bag and walked out to the living/ dining room.

"Yay! Let's go."

"I hope you don't expect us to commute. I just arrived today and don't know the bus routes nor do I want to waste money on a cab."

"Oh, don't worry about that Rae! I've got a ride."

Raven followed her to the basement parking lot to a small scooter parked in the motorcycle area. She handed Raven the extra helmet and turned the engine on. A minute later, they were on their way to the party. Riding in a scooter did have its benefits; the small frame easily let them slip through the traffic and they arrived 10 minutes earlier than they had expected. It was only 9pm but the party looked like it was nearing its peak. It was no surprise since it was a college party and most college kids were trying to attend to all the parties they could before school actually started. But to the girls, they were mildly surprised it would actually be that grand since they were new to college life. Jinx parked between a red pick-up and a sports car and locked their helmets.

The two girls walked towards the front door which was open. A few people were on the front lawn, holding up small cups filled with beer, engaging in conversation. They received a few looks until they reached the entrance. A hip-hop song was blasting through the speakers and some of the crowd was dancing in the crowded space. There were some balloons floating and the smell of beer immediately stung Raven's nose. Somewhere in the far left of the lobby, guys in varsity jackets were downing kegs accompanied by rowdy cheering. By an ice sculpture, some punch was served with the usual party food, pizza and peanuts. And by the window stood a couple making out, seeming completely oblivious to their surroundings. It appeared like a typical party from high school and while Raven wasn't fond of them, she went to them with her friends enough to know what went on.

Jinx let out a nervous laugh and smiled apologetically at her and then motioned for her go follow her to the table where the food was. She handed Raven a cup full of punch and Raven sniffed but couldn't tell if it was spiked or not. A few songs later, a ginger boy walked up to them started a conversation but seemed to be interested in Jinx. A song later, they decided to dance which left Raven alone.

Raven looked around her, taking in the different kinds of people that were crammed in the mansion. She found the music annoying and was starting to sweat due to the crowd. She felt uncomfortable and decided to go outside to have a cigarette. Raven sighed, wondering just what the hell she got herself into.

* * *

Thank you for reading~


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